Once mom was in Japan socializing with her classmates at the end of the course, and our coordinator taught us the “ichi-go ichi-e” philosophy which means: once yes, the second no. Basically, it refers to the reality in which we live and says that each moment is precious since it happens only once in our lives. The coordinator was right.

Never again did my mother meet with those friends, she could never again talk to the religious boy from Afghanistan, the intelligent and always very colorful woman from Zimbabwe, the recent mother from the island of Fiji or the man concerned with the environmental issues in Tuvalu, since his country must simply disappear from the map, in view of the rising water levels in the oceans.

If you asked Mom at that moment if she was fully aware that it wouldn't happen again? The honest answer is that no, Mom even took advantage of some dialog and games, it is true, but I was not aware of that special moment. Mom did not ask her friend from Indonesia, right after the tsunami episode, how she was feeling, if her friends and family were still on that plane, if she felt like she was just a survivor or if she had managed to get over everything. Mother did not ask the boy from Tuvalu what it is like to be born, to grow up playing in the splendid blue sea of ​​the Pacific Ocean, treading on golden sand that, in the near future, will no longer be trodden on. What is it like to be from a country that no longer exists?

Baby, telling all this to you mommy is very sorry for not having such answers to give you, for the unspoken words. Mom also remembers her last conversation with your great grandmother. Mom didn't know it was the last, of course, so she talked to her bison, but not enough, didn't hug her and didn't say goodbye. Baby, that you never let moments pass, smiles, hugs, affection, love and curiosity! May you never regret what you did not do! May you use each day of your life in an attentive, gentle manner, with gratitude for the opportunity given to you to live new, unique moments!